Juneau gathers to commemorate events of Sept. 11
Rehearsal tonight for 9/11 remembrance
THE JUNEAU EMPIRE © 2002
Juneau singers and musicians are invited to participate in "A Community Remembers," a Sept. 11 memorial and remembrance event planned for 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at Centennial Hall. The program includes reflections from a number of speakers and some music.
A pickup rehearsal is scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 tonight at Northern Light United Church at 400 West 11th St. downtown. The group will read through some familiar selections including "America the Beautiful."
Bishop Michael Warfel is leading the organizing committee for the event, which is planned as a community interfaith effort. Singers from any faith group, the community at large and of any voice part are invited to join this group. Simply show up at 7:30 tonight for the rehearsal.
For more information contact J. Allan MacKinnon at 586-3131 or Sister Jill at 586-2227, extension 26.
Despite inexplicable tragedy, we get up in the morning and we go on, and we go on because we have to, Juneau Rep. Beth Kerttula said today about coping with and remembering the events of Sept. 11.
Kerttula is among the local civic and religious leaders joining forces next week for several community events commemorating the one-year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and the failed attempt to direct another jetliner toward Washington, D.C.
"To try to speak on something of this magnitude makes you realize how insignificant the spoken word really is," she said. "Nothing we could say will ever be the right thing, there is no right thing here."
One such event, hosted by the Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary Club, honors local police and firefighters. Rotary also will dedicate its 9/11 memorial statue under construction at Riverside Rotary Park, according to a Rotary press release.
Mayor Sally Smith, Rep. Bill Hudson and members of the Juneau Assembly, federal, state and local law enforcement, Capital City Fire and Rescue and military officials are expected to attend.
Juneau's "Top Cop," an officer nominated by the community for outstanding service, as well as Rotary's Police Officer of the Year Award, will be presented at the ceremony.
"It's so important to express our gratitude to these people who at any moment could be asked to give their lives for us," said Max Mertz, president of the Valley Rotary. "The memorial came out of emotion. It was a concrete way to express our feelings for our own law enforcement, but also for the folks that lost their lives that day."
The event will be held at noon Wednesday in Riverside Rotary Park in the Mendenhall Valley.
A community-wide memorial service also will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Centennial Hall. The event is a collaborative effort between the mayor, Catholic Bishop Michael Warfel, Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer's office, Hudson and Kerttula. In addition to speakers from area religious groups, the event includes a concert and musical prelude.
An Alaska state flag and an American flag that flew over Ground Zero will be presented at the service in an effort to link the Juneau community with the tragedy.
Organizers also plan to have a room set aside at Centennial Hall for quiet meditation and prayer through an Interfaith Peace Vigil.
"It's important for us to be involved (in these events) because coming together helps along the grief and healing process," said Mayor Smith. "We need to come together to renew our dedication to the future to heal the hurt of the past. We need each other to reach that place."
Melanie Plenda can be reached at mplenda@juneauempire.com.